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Measuring Greenhouse Gases in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles, once the U.S. capital of smog and sprawl, has vowed to lead the nation into a cleaner, greener future by stamping out carbon pollution. A small array of sensors installed on the roof of RAND's Santa Monica headquarters could help it get there.
Nov 30, 2021
Essay
Manipulating the Climate: What Are the Geopolitical Risks?
Geoengineering technologies that could block the sun's rays or siphon huge amounts of carbon from the air are not that far out of reach. Yet the international community has not established the kinds of guardrails you might expect for potentially world-changing technologies.
Dec 29, 2021

Explore Environmental Science and Technology

Report
How Can DoD Compare Damage Costs Against Resilience Investment Costs for Climate-Driven Natural Hazards? Overview of an Analytic Approach, Its Advantages, and Its Limitations
This report assesses methods to compare the damage costs from climate change-related extreme weather events against the costs of investing in U.S. Department of Defense installation resilience.
Apr 28, 2023
Tool
Mid-Atlantic Regional Climate Impacts Summary and Outlook: Winter 2022–2023
This climate summary aims to inform Mid-Atlantic policymakers and practitioners about winter 2022–2023, regional climate trends, and the upcoming spring season. A tool shows an analysis of how the average number of days per year with cold low temperatures is projected to change in the future.
Mar 29, 2023
Journal Article
City-Heat Equity Adaptation Tool (City-HEAT): Multi-objective Optimization of Environmental Modifications and Human Heat Exposure Reductions for Urban Heat Adaptation Under Uncertainty
Rising global temperatures and the urban heat island effect can amplify heat-related health risks to residents. Cities are considering various heat adaptation actions to improve public health, enhance social equity, and cope with future conditions.
Jan 4, 2023
Tool
Mid-Atlantic Regional Climate Impacts Summary and Outlook: Fall 2022
This climate summary aims to inform Mid-Atlantic policymakers and practitioners about fall 2022, regional climate trends, and the upcoming winter season. An interactive tool shows an analysis of the longest stretches of dry days and how they are expected to change in the future.
Dec 23, 2022
Blog
Racism and Patient Safety, Abortion After Dobbs, Homelessness: RAND Weekly Recap
This week, we discuss racism and patient safety, abortion in America after the Dobbs ruling, how to address homelessness in Los Angeles, and more.
Oct 28, 2022
Commentary
Why Not Space Mirrors?
Space mirrors can reflect solar radiation away from Earth, potentially helping to address the effects of climate change. But decisionmakers need more information about this technology to determine if it's a viable option.
Oct 19, 2022
Tool
Mid-Atlantic Regional Climate Impacts Summary and Outlook: Summer 2022
This climate summary aims to inform Mid-Atlantic policymakers and practitioners about summer 2022, regional climate trends, and the upcoming summer season. An interactive tool shows an analysis of the longest stretches of high heat days and how they are expected to change in the future.
Sep 22, 2022
Tool
Mid-Atlantic Regional Climate Impacts Summary and Outlook: Spring 2022
This climate summary aims to inform Mid-Atlantic policymakers and practitioners about spring 2022, regional climate trends, and the upcoming summer season. A tool shows an analysis of future projected changes in total monthly precipitation, compared to two baseline periods.
Jun 27, 2022
Blog
A Peacekeeping Operation in Ukraine, Synthetic Opioids, Geoengineering: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on why it may be time to consider a peacekeeping operation in northern Ukraine, supporting veterans with traumatic brain injury, a new response to synthetic opioids, and more.
Apr 29, 2022
Project
The Risks of Geoengineering
Geoengineering—the intentional manipulation of the climate—could help curb global warming, but it could also have world-altering consequences. In a new animated video, RAND artists-in-residence Juan Delcan and Valentina Izaguirre take a lighthearted look at this serious issue.
Apr 27, 2022
Tool
Environmental Racism: A Tool for Exploring the Enduring Legacy of Redlining on Urban Environments
Researchers developed an online tool for visualizing the spatial relationships between the discriminatory practice of redlining and exposure to environmental hazards (e.g., pollution, waste sites).
Mar 31, 2022
Tool
Mid-Atlantic Regional Climate Impacts Summary and Outlook: Winter 2021–2022
This climate summary aims to inform Mid-Atlantic policymakers and practitioners about winter 2021–2022, regional climate trends, and the upcoming winter season. A tool shows an analysis of future projected changes in precipitation, compared to climate normals.
Mar 18, 2022
Journal Article
A Multicity Analysis of Daytime Surface Urban Heat Islands in India and the US
Satellite data and various spectral indices are used to predict surface heat. Built-up indices used in the U.S. do not differentiate sparse vegetation and built-up surfaces, and thus fail in India.
Feb 25, 2022
Tool
Identifying and Planning for Vulnerabilities in the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District’s Water Management Plans
This interactive tool presents the results of a study that evaluated the performance of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District water plans under a range of future conditions, including climate change, drought occurrence, and water demand.
Jan 6, 2022
Essay
Citizen Science Helps Communities Participate in, Understand, and Trust Science
Good citizen science brings a community together and helps it prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. A RAND guide takes non-expert investigators from the early stages of defining their questions and setting their goals, through building their teams, to planning for action.
Jan 4, 2022
Periodical
RAND Review: January-February 2022
The cover story highlights the risks of geoengineering -- the large-scale manipulation of environmental processes to control climate. The Q&A with Jacqueline Burns sheds light on how her military experience informs her approach to research and analysis.
Jan 4, 2022
Tool
Mid-Atlantic Regional Climate Impacts Summary and Outlook: Fall 2021
This climate summary aims to inform Mid-Atlantic policymakers and practitioners about fall 2021, regional climate trends, and the upcoming winter season. A tool shows an analysis of future projected changes in temperature, compared to climate normals.
Dec 21, 2021
Journal Article
Adaptive Water Management in the Face of Uncertainty: Integrating Machine Learning, Groundwater Modeling and Robust Decision Making
This study examines climate change and water resources management challenges facing water suppliers in drought-prone regions.
Dec 21, 2021

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RAND Topic:
Environmental Science and Technology

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Gary Cecchine

Director, RAND Gulf States Policy Institute

Gary Cecchine is director of the RAND Gulf States Policy Institute and a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. He leads and conducts technical and policy research in a range of areas, including energy and environmental policy, coastal protection, emergency preparedness and response,…
Rachel Steratore

Associate Policy Researcher

Rachel Dryden Steratore (she/her) is an Associate Policy Researcher with expertise at the intersection of extreme event climate attribution and social and behavioral science. She leverages quantitative and qualitative methods to identify and overcome cognitive, affective, material, and social…

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